Tickle My Senses

Roasted Wild Garlic Pickle

2021-04-25T10:02:00.022-07:00

Pickles are an all time favorite. Those who know hubby well know of his undying love for pickles. Pickles that are hot, spicy or the fermented kind. They have the amazing ability to make any mundane meal tasty.

Homemade pickles prepared using seasonal produce with a variety of healthy spices like fenugreek, coriander, cumin are a rich source of vitamins like vitamin C, vitamic A, vitamin K and minerals like iron, calcium and potassium.

This week's find was Wild Garlic. Wild Garlic widely known for its antibacterial, antibiotic and possibly antiviral properties, contains vitamins A and C, calcium, iron, phosphorus, sodium and copper. Studies have also shown that it may help reduce blood pressure, thereby reducing the risk of stroke and heart disease. Interestingly, although all types of garlic have these benefits, Wild Garlic is thought to be the most effective at lowering blood pressure.

Wild Garlic can be used in stir fries, or to make a soup, pesto or chutney, but I find this spicy pickle brings out the best in it. It's quite addictive and can be used along with a meal or as a spice paste inside a sandwich, spooned over a pasta or as a heavenly dip when mixed with yoghurt or mayonaisse.

To make this pickle the Wild Garlic is firstly sauteed then married into a mixture of roasted spices, salt, vinegar and seasoned Mustard oil (can be substituted with untoasted/regular Sesame oil). This combination of spices in vinegar and oil increases the shelf life of the pickle. However, this pickle MUST be stored in the fridge and consumed within 3-6 months.

I hope you try it and enjoy as much as we do.

Makes 1 standard sized bottle

STEP 1 :Make the Wild Garlic pickle paste

Ingredients:

Wild Garlic leaves: 300gms

Whole Kashmiri red chillies: 15nos or 15gms

Whole Coriander seeds: 1.5tbsps

Whole Cumin seeds: 3/4 tbsp

Fenugreek seeds: 1/4 tsp

Dried aged tamarind without seeds: 5gms

Ginger: 1 inch- skin removed and sliced

Mustard Oil or Untoasted/Regular Sesame oil: 1/4 cup + 2tsps

Salt: Approx 2 tsps or to taste

White Vinegar: Approx 2-3 tbsps or to taste

Method:

1.Wash the wild garlic leaves well and seperate the flowers and buds (keep the flowers and buds aside for use in another dish). Dry the washed leaves well using kitchen paper or leave to dry overnight over a counter top, over an absorbent paper.

2. Chop the leaves. Keep aside.

3. Place a pan over a medium flame. Place the whole coriander seeds,cumin seeds and fenugreek seeds in the pan and dry roast till fragrant (approx 1-2 mins). Keep aside to cool down.

4. In the same pan take 1/4 cup oil and when hot add the dried red Kashmiri chillies. (I have used the Kashmiri red chillies which are mildly hot. If substituting with other chillies please reduce the quantity to 4-5nos or according to the type of chilli used, as some chillies can be very hot!). Once the chillies are gently toasted and fragrant, take out the chillies from the oil and keep aside to cool.

5. In the same pan, add the chopped wild garlic leaves and saute for 5-7 minutes on a medium flame until the leaves are softened and wilted. Keep aside to cool.

6. In the same pan take 2 tsps of oil, add the aged tamarind and ginger, gently saute for a minute. Keep aside.

7. Place the cooled roasted spices, chillies, fried ginger and tamarind in a mixie jar and blitz for 30 seconds to get coarse mix.

8. Add the sauteed wild garlic leaves and blitz for another 30 seconds.

9. Add salt and vinegar to the ground mix and blitz for 10 seconds. Taste and adjust. The pickle should be slightly salty and sour to taste (the sourness or high acidity in the pickle helps in preservation by creating an unfavourable enviroment for the growth of bacteria or its spores). Keep the ground paste aside. Next prepare for seasoning the paste.

STEP 2: Seasoning

Ingredients:

1. Untoasted/Regular Sesame oil or Mustard oil: 1/4 cup

2. Mustard seeds: 1 tsp

3. Dried red chillies: 2-3nos

4. Asoefetida/Hing powder: 2 pinches

5. Naked/ white Urad dal seeds: 1 tsp (optional)

Method:

1. Heat 1/4 cup oil in a pan, when hot, add the mustard seeds, once it splutters add the red chillies and fry gently, add the urad dal seeds and toast till lighly brown, add the asoefetida and immediately add the ground paste to the seasoned oil.

2. Gently stir through to incorporate the oil into the pickle. Turn off the flame. Allow the pickle to cool completely.

3. Fill into a sterilised jar. Pour a layer of mustard/sesame oil on top. Store in a fridge.

NOTE: When using the pickle only use a clean and dry spoon. Ensure the pickle surface is levelled after use and is covered by oil. The pickle MUST be refrigerated. Should last for upto 3-6 months, though a bottle in ours gets consumed within 2 weeks 😃. When Wild Garlic is out of season you can substitute this recipe with fresh Coriander leaves.

Enjoy!!

Yours in taste

Carol Pereira

Mangalorean Sweet, Sour and Spicy Pumpkin Curry/ Dudi Koddel

2021-03-14T06:02:00.005-07:00

Growing up in a beautiful and vibrant boarding school, run by nuns, in Bengaluru, during the eighties, conjures up joyful memories.

Whilst, I fondly reminiscence the friendships, midnight feasts and newfound freedom, I truly missed my parents and my mom's delightful cooking.

The wonderful nuns who ran the kitchen cooked us fresh, balanced and hot meals daily. Most days were good days. However, the dreaded days when they lovingly adorned our plates with cooked pumpkin, boiled beetroot, curried meatballs (aka- soya chunks floating in a measly curry-called the 'UFO curry') was my worst nightmare. Just the overpowering smells of these dishes wafting through air was enough to kill the appetites of hungry boarders. Coming to the pumpkin, eating a boiled,mushy, sweet vegetable was unfathomable to me at the age of 9!

Fast forward to the present, I truly enjoy eating the pumpkin, be it as a roasted vegetable, or pureed in a spicy soup, in a cake or a halloween pie!

This curry also known as 'Huli' or 'Koddel' is made in most South Indian or Mangalorean homes when pumpkins are in season. It is a flavourful, spicy curry with tones of sweet and sour.

To make the curry, the pumpkin or squash is deskinned, cubed and cooked in salted water until tender. A mixture of roasted spices like dried chillies, whole coriander, cumin and mustard is ground with coconut and added to the cooked vegetable. Finally, season with whole spices. Serve with white rice or flat breads.

Serves-4, Preparation and Cooking time- 1 hour.

Ingredients for Pumpkin Koddel/Dudi Koddel:

Butternut Squash/ Pumpkin deskinned and cubed- 3 cups

Onion- 1 medium sized sliced.

Salt- 1 tsp

Ingredients for the spice paste/masala:

1. Coconut or any other cooking oil- 2 tsps

2. Whole mustard seeds- 1 tsp

3. Whole Cumin seeds- 1 tsp

4. Whole Coriander seeds- 3 tsps

5. Fenugreek seeds- 3-4seeds -Optional

6. Kashmiri red chilly powder- 2tsps or Paprika powder-2 tsps.( *If using any other chilli powder reduce quantity to 1/2 or 1 tsp)

7. Turmeric powder- 1/4 tsp

8. Grated fresh coconut- 1 medium size handful.

(*If fresh coconut is not available, use dried coconut soaked in warm water for 20 minutes, drained and squeezed, before roasting)

9. Tamarind paste- 2-3 tsps (substitute with lemon juice)

*If using tamarind concentrate use half the quantity.

Ingredients for the Tempering:

1. Coconut Oil/cooking oil- 2 Tbsps

2. Mustard seeds- 1/4 tsp

3. Crushed garlic cloves- 3 medium size

4. Cumin seeds- 1/4 tsp

5. Dried red chilli- 1 no cut into 2 (optional)

6. Curry leaves- 6 leaves (optional)

7. Hing/asoefatida- a pinch

Method:

1. Cook the pumpkin

Place the cubed pumpkin pieces and sliced onion in a wide bottom pan, add water to just about cover the pumpkin pieces. Add a tsp of salt to the water and bring it to boil on a medium flame. Cook for 7-8 minutes. Check in between. The pumpkin/squash should still be slightly firm but cooked. Turn off the heat and keep aside.

2. Prepare the Spice paste

Heat oil in a small roasting pan on a low flame. Add the whole coriander seeds, mustard seeds and lastly cumin seeds, in that order and gently stir to fry. Once the seeds are roasted they will be fragnant- should take about 2 mins on a low flame.

3. Add the chilli powder, turmeric powder and fry for another 30 seconds before adding the freshly grated coconut and roasting for a further 1 minute. You don't need to brown the coconut. Turn off the heat and take the pan off the stove. Allow to cool.

Once cooled, grind this mixture with tamarind juice/concentrate just a little water, until it forms a smooth paste. If the spice paste is not as smooth as needed-add a tbsp more water and blend again to get a very smooth paste.

4. Next add the smooth ground paste to the cooked pumpkin and gently stir to mix in. Put the curry back on a low flame, bring to a gently simmer, adjust gravy consistency to you liking. Add hot water to make a slightly thinner gravy. Taste. If you like the curry a bit more tangy add a bit more tamarind juice/lemon juice at this stage. Taste for salt and adjust. Now the curry is almost done.

5. For the Tempering/Phon

Take a small pan, heat the oil on a med to high flame, when hot add the mustard seeds, when the seeds begin to pop, add the crushed garlic flakes-fry for a minute until aromatic, then add the dried red chillies, cumin seeds, hing and curry leaves. Stir fry for another 10 seconds. Add the prepared seasoning over the curry and close the lid for a few minutes. Just before serving gently stir in the seasoning into the curry.

Serve with white rice or flat breads. I served it with a rava roti and a portion of curried pork/dukramaas.

Enjoy

Note:

Variation

1. You can add a single can of cooked beans like Butter beans/Chick peas to this dish for varied textures. If using canned beans drain the water and add the beans to the pumpkin and onions in Step 1.

Enjoy. Look forward to hearing your feedback.

Caribbean Fruit Cake for Christmas!!

2013-12-22T09:55:00.000-08:00

This Christmas Cake recipe was first posted in December 2011. It has been reposted again this year as it is a really good cake.

For Christmas this year I have chosen to make an exotic fruit cake. Not the regular every year Christmas cake but a prize winning one with a Caribbean touch.

This cake was made and presented by Kirstie Allsopp at Devon County Show, and it won her first prize. She was given the recipe by cookery teacher Rosie Davies of Cooking with Rosie.

Why not make this year's Christmas special by sharing this lovely fruit cake with your loved and dear ones.

Well since I originally posted this recipe in the last week of November, I have managed to make this cake. I now present you with some images of this beautifully moist and scrumptious cake. I must admit that I did adapt the original recipe to suit me and have made a note of all the adaptations in the recipe below. As I had my fruits soaking in rum since the past couple of weeks I decided to skip the step of heating the fruits in the alcohol as the original recipe recommended. I also added some apricot jam to the fruits to give it a new dimension of flavour.

As I couldnt resist the temptation of trying out this cake....and my curiosity got the better of me, hubby and myself tried a small piece. I must say this cake is spicy, fruity, moist and delicious...true to its word. Every bite is loaded with plump fruit. If you are one that doesnt like a lot of fruit in your christmas cake then this recipe is not for you. I will continue to feed the cake with more rum weekly right upto Christmas, just to keep in moisture and spirit high!!...........hmmm. For those of you looking for the original recipe here it is. This recipe is a sure keeper!

My Adapted recipe for Carribean Fruit Cake:
Ingredients:
900g of your favourite mixed dried fruit
9 tbsps of rum
225g butter
225g soft brown sugar
Juice and finely grated zest of 1 lemon and 1 orange
2 tbsps honey
4 large eggs, beaten
225g plain flour
1 tsp garam masala
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 cup milk
170g chopped mixed nuts (almonds, hazelnuts, pecans)
3 heaped tsps of apricot jam
Approx. 6 tbsps rum to pour after cake comes out of oven.
Caster sugar to decorate.

Method:
1. If your dried fruit is not prewashed, wash it all thoroughly, then chop up the larger pieces so they·are about the size of the sultanas and currants. Dry the fruits and then soak all the fruits and nuts in rum or alcohol of your choice. Add the jam. Mix well. Fill the fruit into an airtight bottle, and keep in the fridge for a week ( I soak for a month) before baking the cake, however if you are short on time, then take the fruits add the alcohol of your choice, bring to a gentle boil and simmer for 2–3 minutes. Set aside and allow to get cold. The fruit should absorb all the liquid.
2. Preheat the oven to 150°C/Gas mark 2. Line a 20-cm cake tin with two layers of grease proof paper, making sure the paper around the sides goes about 5cm above the rim of the tin so that none of the mixture escapes as it rises.

3. In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar with the finely grated zests of the orange and lemon. Pour in the beaten eggs and mix well. Sieve the flour with the mixed spice and ground nutmeg and fold into the egg mixture. Now stir in the soaked dried fruit and chopped nuts. Add the honey, the juice of one lemon or orange and milk as much as required to produce a mixture that has a soft dropping consistency.
4. Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin, smooth the top, then make a shallow dent in the middle so that the cake will rise evenly as it cooks.

5. Wrap a thick layer of brown paper or newspaper around the outside of the tin – as high as the lining paper – and secure with string. Place the tin on a baking tray lined with more brown paper and bake for 3 - 4 hours. Check the cake halfway through the baking time – if the top is getting too brown, cover it with a piece of brown paper.
6. Check the cake is cooked by inserting a skewer in the middle – it should come out clean. Remove the cake from the oven, prick it all over with a fine skewer and carefully pour the 6 tbsps of rum into the holes. Allow the cake to cool completely before removing from the tin (usually around 2 hours).
Keep the cake covered in 2 layers of baking paper and a layer of foil. Feed it every 2 days with 1 -2 tsps of rum to keep it moist and luscious........Enjoy!!

Have a Merry Christmas!!

Yours in Taste,

Carol Pereira

Eid Mubarak and A Delicious Muslim Biryani Recipe!!

2013-08-12T12:43:00.000-07:00

Who can resist a delicious Biryani? Not me nor any rice lover that I know. A wholesome dish of rice and vegetable or meat served with a raitha, my definition of gastro nirvana :)

Delicate long grains of Basmati rice gently cooked with fragrant whole spices, layered with a deliciously spicy chicken gravy thats bursting with the flavours of powdered spices, ginger-garlic, tomatoes and yogurt. Heightened by the flavours of saffron infused milk, golden fried onions, raisins or prunes, fresh coriander, mint leaves, citrusy lemon and powdered garam masala.

I am always on the lookout for good Biryani recipes, and over the years have requested many of my Muslim friends to share their family recipes with me. This traditional family recipe comes all the way from the Sind Province of Pakistan shared by a good friend Salmeena Khan. Thank you Salmeena for generously sharing this recipe with me. This recipe shall be cherished by many, and be surely treasured by many in the coming generations. Wishing all my Muslim readers and friends,
All the happiness and Joy of this world, May God's Blessings be with you always.
****EID MUBARAK**** "

To Make Muslim Biryani
Recipe Source: Salmeena Khan
Serves: 6-8 | Marinating time: 3-4 hours or overnight | Prep time: 30mins | Cooking time: 40 mins (to cook chicken and rice) | Dum time: 20-25 mins

Ingredients:

To Marinade Chicken

Chicken or Mutton: 1.5 kgs

Thick Yogurt: 250 gms

Red chilli powder: 2 tsps

Coriander powder: 2 tsps

Turmeric: 1/4 tsp

Salt to taste.

Green chilies: 5 slit
Coriander leaves chopped: 2 tbsps
Mint leaves chopped : 2 tbsps

For the Chicken Gravy:

Large onions: 3 sliced finely
Cloves:10
Green cardamoms: 8
Black pepper: 5 nos
Cumin seeds: 2 tsps
Cinnamon sticks: 2 inches
Black cardamom pods: 4
Raisins or prunes: handful (I used raisins)
Bay leaves: 2

Garlic paste: 2 tsps
Ginger: 2 tsps

Red chili powder: 1 tbsp or reduce for less heat
Coriander powder: 1 tbsp
Fennel powder: 3/4 tsp
Tomato: 500gms chopped
Salt: 2 tsps or to taste.

Oil: 1 cup

For the Rice:

Basmati rice: (soaked in water for atleast 1/2 an hour): 5 cups
Salt: to taste

Lemon juice: 1 lemon
Bay leaves: 2 nos
Cinnamon sticks: 3 nos.
Black cardamom pods: 3 nos.

For garnishing

Mint leaves : 1/3 cup finely chopped

Coriander leaves: 1/3 cup finely chopped
Browned onions reserved in step 2
Saffron milk: A pinch of saffron to infuse in 1/4 cup of warm milk

Lemon juice: 1/2 lemon
Rose water: 2 tsps
Garam masala: 1/2 tsp

Method:

Step 1: Marinade the chicken and keep overnight or for at least 3-4 hours

1. Take the thick yoghurt in a bowl, beat well, to it add powdered spices and salt to taste. Add the slit green chillies, chopped mint leaves, coriander leaves mix well. Finally add the cut chicken to this mixture, mix well. Cling film bowl and rest overnight in the fridge.

Step 2: Make the Chicken Masala

1. In a large non stick vessel take oil and heat it. Once hot add the finely sliced onions and fry until it is light golden brown. Keep aside 1/3 of the fried onions on a tissue paper for the final garnishing required while layering the biryani.
2. To the remaining brown onions in the pan add the whole spices ie cloves, cardamoms, black pepper, cumin seeds, cinnamon, black cardamom pods and bay leaves and fry till fragnant. Next add the ginger and garlic pastes and fry for 4-5 minutes till the raw smell goes away. Next add the powdered spices (chilli, coriander, fennel powders) and fry for 30 seconds before adding the tomatoes and the salt. Fry the tomatoes till they turn soft and moisture completely dries up. Add the marinaded chicken and yoghurt mixture to the vessel, mix well. (Add water only if needed to cook chicken) The chicken usually lets out water. Close the vessel and allow the chicken to cook for 30-35 minutes on medium heat until almost done, stirring in between. The gravy should be semi thick. You will know when the chicken is ready as the gravy turns darker in colour and oils starts floating to the top.

4. Next check for salt, squeeze over lemon juice to your taste turn off the heat.

Step 3: Prepare the Rice

1. Wash the rice in a large bowl till the water runs clear, then soak the rice for about 20 minutes. Once 20 minutes are done drain the rice in a colander and keep aside.

2. As the rice is soaking prepare the water in which it will cook. In a large vessel boil around 15 cups of water (you need to make sure the vessel you cook in is large enough to accomodate the water and the rice. If the rice has enough room to cook in you can see the grains of rice dancing about freely as it cooks and the grains freely lengthens to its maximum length. But if the vessel is too small the rice will not have enough room to cook in, the grains of rice will tend to stick to each other and clump.

3. Once the water comes to a boil, add the bay leaves, cinnamon sticks, black cardamom. Close the pot and let the spices let out their flavours into the water for 3-4 minutes before you add the rice.

4. Add the rice to the boiling water, stir gently. Add salt to taste (add a bit more salt). Add lemon juice to the boiling water and a dash of oil to help keep the grains of rice fluffy and seperate. Let the rice cook for 6-8 minutes or till the rice is half done. To check this, take a grain of rice and press it between your index finger and thumb, if it breaks leaving a white seed of uncooked rice in the center your rice has cooked just right. Turn off flame and drain the rice immediately to a colander. Spread out the cooked rice to a large tray to allow it to cool.

Step 4: Bringing it all together or Assembling the Biryani

1. Take a large pot that is oven safe. Grease the base lightly with oil.

2. Place half the cooked rice at the bottom of the pan. Evenly distribute the pieces of meat over the rice. Then pour the gravy evenly over the meat. Add the remaining rice over the meat, level the rice gently to form an even layer.

3. Sprinkle over the chopped coriander and mint leaves and reserved browned onions.

4. Using the back of a spoon make a few tunnels through the rice and meat layer. Pour in drops of saffron milk through some tunnels. Through the remaining tunnels pour in drops of lemon juice and rose water. Sprinkle over a garam masala powder. You could add a few drops of ghee over the rice.

5. Seal the pan with foil and then place a lid over it. Place in preheated oven at l80 C for 25-30 mins. Gently mix it before serving.

Serve with a cucumber and tomato raitha.

Note: Salmeena includes boiled potatoes in the recipe, which I skipped as I ran out of potatoes. But will update the recipe when I use potatoes the next time

Do drop me a line if you do make this biryani. Would love to know your experience.

Yours in Taste,

Carol Pereira

Canned Tuna Spicy Fish Cutlets.

2013-08-03T02:31:00.003-07:00

A few weeks ago I rambled about how Mangaloreans a fish loving breed cannot do without fish....well if you missed that post do head over here to learn more about our fish loving madness.

Well at times when our fresh and frozen fish supplies are low or when there is an urge to eat fish that is not curried or fried, then off we go rummaging through our stash of canned reserve. Fish stored in cans can be truly handy. Canned fish is available all year round, and is a must have stock cupboard ingredient. I stock up on canned tuna, sardines and salmon. These little canned treasures can be used to make a delicious fresh and tangy fish salad with chopped, onions, tomatoes loads of lemon juice and green chillies. At other times they can be converted into a batch of spicy, moist and delicious cutlets that can be quickly served up as nibbles, piping hot of the pan with some Maggi hot chilli sauce or as an accompaniment to a homely meal of plain rice, mangalore saar and vegetable sukke.

Well a couple of months ago I received a message from Joe D'Souza (a member of this blog, now turned friend :) who wrote to me saying:

Did some cooking on d weekend, tried fish cutlets,
Came out Yummee,
Just like my moms!
But this was a kinda diff recipe,
Given to me by my sisters colleague.

......and share this wicked cutlets recipe with us, he did! Many thanks Joe!!

These cutlets will surely take you home...they are savoury, spicy and as you rightly put it... YUMMEE!!

I adapted the recipe a bit, and included mashed potato to bind the cutlets, and pepper and green chillies to spice them up a notch, but you could use breadcrumbs and red chilli powder as Joe did for heat instead. They can be either deep fried or shallow fried, I shallow fried them.

I must say if you like canned tuna you will love these babies. Try them out.

Recipe for Canned Tuna Fish Cutlets
Recipe Contributed by: Joe Dsouza
Makes 12 -14 mini cutlets| Serves: 3-4
Ingredients:
Canned Tuna Fish: 1 standard can
Onion(chopped): 1 large

Tomato: 1 small
Green chillies finely minced: 2-3 nos
Garlic cloves finely minced: 2 large or 4-5 small
Ginger finely minced: 1/2 inch
Potatoes: 1 large boiled and mashed
Black Pepper powder: 3/4 tsp
Coriander leaves finely minced:1 tbsp
Garam masala powder: 3/4 tsp
Oil: 2 tbsps
Bread crumbs to coat cutlets: 1/2 cup
Eggs: 2 nos for coating the
Oil for shallow frying

Method:
1. Carefully open the lid of the canned tuna and drain all the water or oil from the can.
If using regular fish: Clean and cut the fish. Cook it with 1/2 tsp of pepper powder and salt and and a pinch of turmeric. Shred the fish using your hands. Keep aside.
2. Heat oil in a pan. Add the finely minced onion, ginger, garlic and green chillies and fry till their raw smell goes then add the chopped tomato and fry for a further 4-5 minutes till the tomatoes softens and moisture dries out.
3. Add the flaked fish to the pan and toss well to mix. Continue to fry the fish till all the moisture in the fish dries out. Will take around 6-7 minute on a medium flame.
4. Next add the mashed potatoes. Mix well. Sprinkle over the pepper powder and garam masala powder. Mix well. Finally sprinkle over the chopped coriander leaves.
5. Take the pan off the fire. Check for seasonings and adjust. Be careful while adding salt as the canned fish can be quite salty. Using fingers mix the cutlets well for even distribution of ingredients.
6. Allow the mixture to cool.
7. Using a tablespoon measure for mini cutlets or a 2 tbsps measure for larger cutlets, roll the mixture in the palm of your hands to make small balls then shape them using your fingers to your desired shape.
8. Once all the balls are formed, cling film and keep them away in the fridge till ready to fry. Once ready to fry dip them in beaten egg and roll in bread crumbs
9. Deep or shallow fry the cutlets in hot oil till the breadcrumbs turn a nice golden brown. Drain onto a tissue paper and serve piping hot.

If you have not heard about the Mangalorean Cook Book I am giving away, then head over here and make sure you enter for the Giveaway.

Also checkout the current entries for the Giveaway, vote for your favourite picture/dish by 'liking' or 'sharing' the picture/ pictures. Thank you !

Till my next post,

Have fun cooking and dont forget to soak up all the sun!!

Yours in Taste,

Carol Pereira

Simple Chicken Curry with Potatoes without Coconut.

2013-07-26T12:27:00.000-07:00

Potatoes in a curry....oh yeah...anyday!! I am a sucker for potatoes in a curry. Be it an egg curry, mutton or beef curry or the famous Goan sausage curry, its gotta have potatoes in it :)
If you have never tried adding potatoes to your curry, and you are wondering what the obsession is all about, let me tell you.

It is bewildering as to how the most ordinary potato, absorbs all the wonderful flavours from a curry as its cooks, to magically metamorphose into a delicious spice packed bomb. Each starchy bite releases these wonderful savoury spicy flavours into your mouth...ooo so delicious and gratifying.

Well todays dish is a mildly spiced semi thick chicken curry that is bursting with the flavour of fragrant spices like cumin, fennel, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, pepper corns and green chillies. Much akin to a stew but without the added calories of coconut milk, it makes a perfect accompaniment to chappatis, panpole/ neer dosa or puris. Why not savour the simplicity of its flavours.

To Make Simple Chicken Curry with Potatoes without Coconut.
Serves: 4 | Preparation time: 30 mins | Cooking time: 40 minutes.
Chicken: 1 kg ( I used 8 medium skinless thighs)
Curry leaves: 1 sprig
Oil to fry: 1-2 tbsps
Onions: 1 large roughly sliced
Tomato: 1 large finely chopped
Potato: 1 large, cubed into 2 inch pieces.
Water: 2 cups
Salt to taste
Vinegar to taste

To Grind Spice Paste/ Masala
Onion: 1 medium sized
Green chillies: 6-7 nos.
Ginger: 2 inches
Pepper corns: 8-10
Cumin seeds: 1tsp
Fennel seeds/ Saunf: 3/4 tsp
Turmeric powder: 1/2 tsp
Cardamoms: 2 pods
Cinnamon: 1 inch stick
Cloves: 4 nos

For Seasoning:
Medium onion: 1/2 thinly sliced
Oil: 2 tsps

Method:
1. In a wide non stick vessel, take oil, once hot add the curry leaves, fry for 30 seconds, add the chicken pieces one by one into hot oil in a single layer and allow one side to slightly brown on a high flame, before turning to the other side to brown. Should take 3-4 minutes each side. Then add the onions and tomatoes, cubed potatoes, pour over hot water, add salt to taste, close lid and allow the chicken to cook on a medium flame till almost done. Should take around 25 minutes.
2. As the chicken is cooking prepare the masala/spice paste. Place all the ingredients for the masala into a grinder/ blender add a little at water and grind finely.
3. In a non stick pan take a little oil, when hot add the sliced onion for seasoning and fry till brown, then add the ground masala and fry well for around 7-10 minutes. Add this fried masala/ spice paste to the chicken curry and gently stir making sure not to break the potatoes. Add more water if required to for a thinner gravy. Adjust salt and add vinegar to taste, allow the mixture to gently simmer for 5 more minutes before taking off the heat.

Serve with  chappatis, panpole/ neer dosa or puris.

Looking for more Chicken Curry recipes, why not give these a try?
Mangalore Chicken Curry with Roce/ Coconut Milk (Kori Ghassi)
Mangalore Style Pepper Chicken Curry
Goan Chicken Xacuti without Coconut
Mangalorean Chicken Stew with Vegetables.

Have a lovely weekend friends,

Yours in taste,
Carol Pereira

Simple Mangalore Tomato Saar or Tomato Soup without lentils.

2013-07-19T11:33:00.001-07:00

Who can resist a steaming hot bowl of tomato saar to either drown your rice in or to sip as an appetiser before or after a meal? Well not me, or any Mangi that I have come cross.

This tomato saar recipe is for the LAZY....sorry beg your pardon!! did I just say that...ahem.. YES I DID!! because many a times I fall under that bracket, or should I be cheeky and say this recipe is for the canny, who are conscious of their time and would rather use a few shortcuts to produce a suprisingly delicious tomato saar, with absolutely no compromise on flavour, restaurant quality!! One that will give your spouse the impression that you have been sweating over boiling tomatoes, peeling their skins and pureeing them, then pounding spices, etc etc... to produce this delicious concotion!! When you have done none of that....hahaha.

Well I promise you this, give this tomato saar a try, you will never go back to slogging over another one again. Perfectly ripe soft tomatoes work brilliantly for this recipe, though canned chopped tomatoes work better :)

Enjoy this delicious tangy and piping hot tomato saar either plain as is, or spice it up with your favourite rasam powder.

Well this tomato saar needs to be eaten in the right way for maximum pleasure :)
Pour the piping hot tomato saar over your rice (for me the rice has to be swimming in the saar) then using your finger tips coat the rice with the piping hot saar, making sure you do not burn yourself ! then scoop mouthfuls of this delicious mixture into your mouth, accompanied with fried fish and vegetable. When all is done, lift up the plate to your lips and drink off any remaining saar, the orphaned bits can be polished off by licking your fingers....slurpp!!!

Once you are done, put your feet up and revel in the feeling of completeness, or if you cannot resist, dive in for some more :). Repeat and enjoy!!

To make Simple Mangalore Tomato Saar/ Rasam
Serves:4 | Preparation time: 3 minutes | Cooking time: 20-25 minutes.
Ingredients:
Tomato large red and ripe: 3 nos or 1 can of chopped tomatoes
Garlic cloves : 4 crushed
Turmeric powder:1/2 tsp
Rasam powder: 2 tbsp
Tamarind extract: 1 tbsp or to taste
Curry leaves: A few
Coriander leaves: 2 tbsps
Oil: 2 tbsp
Hot Water: 3 cups
Salt: to taste

Seasoning:
Mustard seeds: 1 tsp

Curry leaves: 1 sprig
Dry red chillies: 2 nos (broken into halves)

Hing: 2 large pinches

Method:
1. Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a heavy bottom pan. Add mustard seeds and when they crackle, add broken red chillies, curry leaves and hing and saute for a while. Add crushed garlic and stir for another minute.
2. Add the chopped tomatoes and salt and stir, allow the tomatoes to cook on a medium to high flame till they are softened and the juices dry out, should take 7-8 minutes.
3. Add the turmeric powder and rasam powder to the softened tomatoes and fry for a minute on a medium heat.
4. Then add the tamarind extract and mix well. Add the hot water. Mix well.

5. Close the vessel and cook the saar on a low flame for about 7 - 10 mins. Taste for salt. Adjust. Sprinkle over chopped coriander leaves. Serve hot.

Would love to know if you enjoyed this Mangalore Style Simple Tomato saar

If you liked this Tomato saar you might want to give these Mangalore saars a try too

Mangalore style DaalisoSaar- My Mom's

Mangalorean Daaliso Saar/ Lentil Soup- My Mil's

Mangalore Style Spinach Daaliso Saar

Have a great weekend friends,

Yours in Taste,

Carol Pereira

Kids Special: Fish pie with Red peppers and Broccoli.

2013-07-14T07:23:00.000-07:00

There are 3 ways Baby A enjoys fish. One is fish fry, the second is fish fingers and his favorite by far is Fish Pie.

Baby A was first introduced to Fish pie at his nursery. Well I have tried my hand at different fish pies for Baby A, but this one seems to be his favourite. The sweet flavour of the red peppers and the creamy white cheese sauce marries the fish and vegetables wonderfully together, making this dish very palatable. Try it your little one might enjoy it.

To Make Fish Pie with Red Peppers and Broccoli
Serves: 2 | Preparation time: 15 mins | Cooking time: 10 mins| Baking time: 10 mins
Ingredients:
Salmon: 1/2 fillet or 3 inch by 3 inch piece
Butter: 1 tsp
Garlic : 1 flake finely chopped
Onion: 1/2 finely chopped
Red pepper: 1/2 small cubes
Brocolli: 5 florets chopped to same size as peppers
Flour: 2 tbsps
Milk: 1 cup
Cheddar grated cheese: 3 tbsps
Salt and pepper to taste
lemon juice to taste

Method:
1. In a non stick pan take a knob of butter, add garlic fry for 2 minutes on a medium flame till soft, add the onion and fry for 3-4 minutes, then add the pepper and broccoli and continue to fry on a medium heat for 5 minutes tossing every now and then.
2. Add the flour to the fried vegetables and toss to coat all the vegetables. Fry till the flour turns a nice light brown. Add a cup of warm milk to the vegetables and stir gently to allow the flour to dissolve in the milk. Lower the flame and allow the mixture to come to a gentle boil. Add the cubed salmon pieces and stir. After 2 minutes when the sauce appears to be thickening at the sides of the pan and the salmon seems to have turned lighter in colour, add the grated cheese, mix well, taste for salt, adjust, add a pinch of pepper a few drops of lime juice and stir.
3. Pour the mixture into a oven proof dish. Place in a preheated oven at 180C and bake for 10 minutes.

Allow the pie to cool down a bit before serving.

If your little ones enjoy pies you might want to try these Chicken ones too:
Simple Baked Chicken pie
Creamy Chicken Pie with Peppers

Have a great Sunday friends,

Yours in Taste,

Carol Pereira

South Indian Green Chilli Chicken Dry.

2013-07-03T12:58:00.000-07:00

Do you ever go through phases where you would really like to enjoy a chilli hot meal, so hot that your nose is running, eyes are tearing and taste buds are losing the will to live??

Well thankfully I rarely go through these 'hot chilli phases', but when I do, the dish I instantly think of is the 'Chilli Chicken Dry dish' served at most Andhra Restaurants in Bangalore, India.

Small pieces of chicken on the bone tastefully marinaded with ground green chillies, cooked, then stirfried with yet more green chillies, then finally drowned in a green chilli sauce, a dish that is sooo tasty yet so endearingly hot that it drives your senses crazy... enjoyed with a cooling lager or buttermilk or coke....its heavenly hell on a plate ;)....
...if that makes any sense at all !

Well this is a pretty decent version of the original HOT Andhra restaurant version. You might actually enjoy the combination of heat, tang and spices without blowing your lid off. Those with a milder palate might want to pass this one.

To Make Chilli Chicken Dry.
Serves 2-3
Ingredients

Chicken pieces (with bones) cut into small pieces: 1/2 kilo

Indo Chinese Green chilli sauce: 2-3 tbsps or according to taste (available in Asian stores)

Cornflour: 1 tsp dissolved in 1 tbsp of water to thicken the final sauce

For the Marinade

Green chilies: 5 nos

Ginger garlic paste: 1 tbsp

Onions: 1/2 small; finely chopped

Lemon/lime juice: 1 no.

Turmeric: 2 pinches

Curry powder or Garam masala powder: 3/4 tsp

Salt to taste

For Seasoning:
Cumin seeds: 1/2 tsp

Curry leaves: few sprigs

Ginger: 1/2 inch finely chopped

Garlic: 3 cloves finely chopped

Green chilies slit (remove the seeds): 6 nos.

Method:
1. Chop the green chillies and onions to be used in the marinade. Add to a blender with all the other marinade ingredients and grind to a fine paste without adding any water. Add enough salt. Marinade the cleaned and cut chicken in this ground paste. Pour a tbsp of melted ghee or oil over the chicken, coat well, cover the bowl with cling film and allow to marinade for atleast 3-4 hours or better still overnight in the fridge.
2. Next day take chicken out of the fridge an hour or so before cooking to allow it to come to room temperature for uniform cooking. Take a wide bottom nonstick pan add all the marinaded chicken pieces, close lid and allow the chicken to cook well on a medium flame adding 2-3 tbsps of water if needed, stirring in between. When chicken has fully cooked turn off the flame.

3. In another non stick pan take a tbsp of ghee or oil, add the cumin seeds, curry leaves and slit green chillies and fry for a minute, then add the chopped ginger and garlic and stir fry fry till garlic slightly softens. Add the chicken with any remaining gravy and stir fry for 3-4 minutes. Add the bottled green chilli sauce around 2-3 tbsps, toss the chicken well in the sauce, taste for salt and sourness, adjust accordingly.To get the restaurant finish you could dissolve a tsp of cornflour in 2 tbsps of water and pour this into the chicken sauce, allow the sauce to thicken toss the chicken well to coat. Serve hot with chinese fried rice.

For those of you who dare to try this dish out, I would love to know how you got on.

Enjoy friends,

Yours in Taste,

Carol Pereira.

Garlic Butter Stir fried Prawns with Black pepper and Crushed Fennel seeds.

2013-06-28T15:23:00.000-07:00

I have been upto my ears the past couple of weeks, its been so hectic, my life has been swamped with household chores, a couple of house get togethers, cooking cooking more cooking and a teeny bopper whose been testing boundaries. Well I am so pleased to now say that the busy period is over for now, the dust has settled, the lil one is asleep and I finally have found the time to put my feet up and do one of the things I enjoy the most....BLOG!!

So with a Smile on my face I give you todays recipe, a simple and delicious prawns stir fry thats bursting with flavours of butter, garlic, curry leaves, freshly ground black pepper and crushed fennel seeds. This dish needs hardly any preparation. Only cleaning the prawns and pounding a few fennel seeds. The rest is just putting things together. The crushed fennel seeds adds a wonderful dimension to the prawns. Do try it out. Its Yumm!!

Tender juicy prawns thats first marinaded, then quickly stir fried in butter thats flavoured with pureed garlic and fresh curry leaves, then delicately spiced up with freshly ground black pepper and crushed fennel seeds.

To Make Garlic Butter Prawns with Black pepper and Crushed Fennel Seeds.

Serves: 2 | Preparation time: 20 minutes | Cooking time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

Prawns: 10 large

Garlic paste: 2 tsps

Turmeric powder: 1/2 level tsp

Salt : to taste

Lemon juice: 2 tbsps

Curry leaves: 1 sprig

Coarse Black pepper powder: 1/2 tsp or to taste

Fennel seeds/ Saunf crushed: 1/2 tsp ( crush in a mortar till almost fine)

Butter/ Olive oil : 2-3 tbps.

Method:

1. In a bowl take turmeric powder add 2 tbps of lemon juice and salt to taste.

2. To the marinade add the cleaned and deveined prawns. Let it marinade for at least 20 minutes.

3. In a large non stick pan melt butter. Once the butter starts bubbling add the curry leaves fry till the leaves changes colour (1 minute), add the garlic paste and stir fry on a low flame for 3-4 minutes. Turn up the heat to a high flame add the marinaded prawns one by one to the pan without the marinading juices, lay the prawns flat without crowding the pan. As soon as the prawns starts changing colour to pink on one side flip the prawns over to the other side to fry. Frying the prawns shouldnt take more than 3-4 minutes in total. Once both sides of the prawns have turned pink sprinkle over the black pepper and crushed fennel or saunf powder. Add a dash of lemon juice if desired, toss well. Stir fry another 30 seconds then take the pan off the heat.

Serve the prawns hot as a starter or as an accompaniment to a main meal.

Have a great weekend friends,

Yours in Taste,

Carol Pereira.

Savoury Hot Egg Puffs using Mangalorean Spices!

2013-06-24T09:17:00.000-07:00

Light flaky layers of puff pastry enveloping a delightful spicy stuffing of Boiled Eggs with Mangalore spices, my definition of 'Tea time Ecstasy'. My fondest memories of these delish and enticing savoury Egg puffs goes back to the early 2000, when I was working in a dental college in Domlur, Bangalore, India. Our number one choice for unwinding from a busy morning would be at the local Kerala Bakery.

Located at a busy junction, this small bakery was effectively filled up with coastal delicacies like the spicy chicken, mutton or egg puffs, local treats like aloo buns (spicy potato buns) dilkush, dilpasand (pastry filled with sweet tutti fruti or sweetened coconut), pastry horns (horn shaped pastry filled with sweet whipped cream), Japanese cakes, apple cakes, burfi's, pastries, badushah, tea rusks, freshly baked loaves of milk bread, fruit loaves all served with a piping hot cup of masala tea or coffee, chilled buttermilk (spice infused buttermilk) or a bottle of juice (frooti being my favourite or mango juice)....divine! The place was constantly buzzing with people with a rapacious appetite for these colourful and delectable treats.

Back in the UK, with no Kerala Bakery in sight, I ventured out to replicate this wonderful treat using what was at hand. I made the basic onion tomato mixture then spiced it up using the Bunt Chilli powder ( the 'Mangalorean in me' wouldn't be at peace if I didnt :) you could use your favourite Spice Blend or Curry powder here).

Must say the puffs turned out awesome. Truly delectable. I have since substituted the boiled eggs with simple fried prawns and served it as a party appetiser too. Gained many FANS ;) Try it out!

To Make Egg Puffs using Mangalorean Spices.
Makes 8 puffs.
Ingredients:
Boiled Eggs: 4 nos
Onions 2 medium chopped finely
Tomatoes: 2 chopped finely
Ginger garlic paste : 1 tsp
Mangalore Bunt chilli powder : 1 tsp, add more for spicier puffs. Substitute with any other spice blend or Curry powder
Salt to taste
Mustard seeds: 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves: 4-5
Oil: 2-3 tsps or as required

Method:
1. Boil eggs. Peel and keep aside.
2. In oil splutter mustard seeds, add curry leaves, fry. Add onions fry for 3-4 mins, add ginger garlic paste fry for another 2-3 mins till the raw smell goes. Next add chopped tomato and salt, fry till tomato softens.
3. To the remaining mixture add Mangalore Bunt chilli powder or any other curry powder. Adjust quantity of spice powder to suit your taste and fry for a few more seconds. Adjust salt and add lemon juice to taste.

4. Divide a ready rolled sheet of puff pastry to eight equal portions. Divide the cooled onion tomato spice mixture equally between them. Cut each boiled egg into 2 equal halves along its length. Invert one half of a boiled egg over the mixture, brush the sides of the pastry with water, close the pastry till edges meet and seal well. Place slits or a cross on top of the puff.

5. Place the puffs on a non stick baking tray well spaced from each other. Bake in a preheated oven at 200C or 400F for 12-14 mins or until puffed and golden. Enjoy with a hot cup of Coffee or Tea.

If you enjoyed this post or do make these puffs I would love to hear from you. Leave me a line at the end of this post or on my Facebook page.

Have a great week friends,

Yours in Taste,

Carol Pereira

Baked Buffalo Chicken Wings/ Baked Spicy Chicken Wings!

2013-06-15T07:35:00.001-07:00

If you are a Wings lover, I am about to change your life. I am about to make you the happiest person on the planet. I am about to tell you how to make a very tasty hot and spicy chicken wings dish, better known as Buffalo Chicken wings!!. The original Buffalo Chicken Wings is deep-fried wings coated in a sauce of vinegar-based cayenne pepper hot sauce and butter. This is a baked version of the original deep fried version hence a healthier choice.

These wings are a perfect accompaniment to drinks and is a hit at my parties. I first tasted these wings on our trip to the US in 2012, and the love was instant. A wonderful explosion of taste and flavours, the hot chilli from the sauce with the crispy skin of wings and juicy meat, absolutely delightful. Had to make it at home. Picked up a bottle of Buffalo wings sauce on our way back and created it in our kitchen using a very popular recipe from here. The result was delightful. SPICY, CRUNCHY and GONE in minutes!!

For a kids version reduce the spice in the coating flour and serve along with a sweet BBQ sauce or Ketchup.

It is important to remember 2 things while making these wings 1. to dry the wings thoroughly before coating with the flour 2. place the wings in the fridge for atleast 50 mins to an hour. Both these steps will give you a crispy chicken skin, then bake in an oven for an hour or so till golden brown and done. Pour over the wings sauce or serve in a bowl along side.

If you do try this recipe, I would love to hear from you. Do drop me a line at the end of this post or on my Facebook page. Pictures of your creation are most welcome too :)

To Make Baked Spicy Chicken Wings or Baked Buffalo Chicken Wings

Serves: 4-5 | Preparation time: 30 minutes | Resting time: 1 hr | Baking time: 1 hr

Recipe Source: All Recipes.com

Ingredients:
Chicken wings: 20

All-purpose flour: 3/4 cup
Cayenne pepper( chilli powder) : 2 tsps
Garlic powder: 1tsp
Black pepper powder: 1 tsp
Salt: 1/2 tsp

For the Buffalo Wings Pouring Sauce
Hot pepper sauce (such as Frank's RedHot®): 1/2 cup
Olive oil or melted butter: 3 tbsps

Method:
1. Cut wings at joints.
2. Wash wings and thoroughly dry them using paper towels. The drier the wings the crispier they will turn out.
3. Line a baking sheet or roasting pan with parchment paper/foil, and place a cooling rack or equivalent on top of the lined roasting pan. The coated wings will be placed on top of this rack while baking in the oven. This will stop the wings from soaking up all the fat that drips down from the wings as it is cooking. Lining the roasting tin will allow all that grease to be easily cleaned up.
4. Combine flour, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, black pepper and salt in a bowl. Add any other dried spices of your choice to the flour.
5. Dredge the prepared wings into the flour mixture . Place the dredged wings on the prepared rack and place the entire set up in the lowest shelf of your fridge for 45 min-1 hr uncovered. This will allow the coating to set and create a wonderfully crispy coating.
6. Preheat oven to 200 C or 400F for 7 minutes.
7. Take out the wings from the fridge and in the center of a hot oven. Bake at 200C for 30 minutes. Then turn over and cook for another 25-30 minutes until the flour coating appears nice and crispy and the wings are cooked. Take out of the oven and rest for 5 minutes. Place the wings in a serving bowl.

8. In another bowl whisk together your favourite wing sauce along with the melted butter or oil. Either pour the sauce over the rested wings and toss to coat well or simply serve in a bowl alongside the wings .

If you enjoyed this recipe, you must get your teeth into my much loved Chilli Wings Recipe or Wings on Fire. You will love its simplicity and flavours.

Have a great weekend friends,

Yours in Taste,

Carol Pereira

Mangalore Style Crab Pepper Fry.

2013-06-11T09:27:00.002-07:00

Mangalore is a relatively small city on the south-west coast of India and we Mangalorean Catholics (Mangi's) are a 'fish loving breed' known for their undying love of seafood. Mangi's can eat fish, breathe fish and die for fish too ;) (though as a matter of fact anything that moves could easily satisfy our meaty appetites ;)

This fish loving madness is not limited to the seasons, come rain or sun, it goes on and on through the year. Even if there were no fresh fish to buy, you would still find fish lovingly dished up at a Mangi's table. It could be a 'Dried fish chutney' or a 'pickled prawn or fish made by grandma or 'Mai' or 'Dried shrimps in a vegetable side dish' or a 'Simple fish curry' made from a stash thats been strategically hidden away in a Mangi's freezer chest. Whether its a Mangi's 'true love for fish' or an 'unsatiable obsession' I dont know?

Coming to a Mangi's 'Freezer Chest'. Now this is one electrical appliance that every Mangi household with electricity will possess. If you dare to open one, heaven knows what you will find inside! You could find frozen 'Bimblees' gifted by a neighbour with a tree; for those delicious Mangalorean Daaliso Saar with Bimblees (lentil soups), or 'Ambades' (hog plums for those spicy prawn curries), or wild game could be wild bird , boar or deer that was found on a friend of a friends estate for those delicious Sukka's (meat in a dry spice paste with Coconut), or Goan sausages, varieties of fish and meat, ground spice pastes ready to make a delicious fish curry or left over Dukramaas from Easter (taste improves with time you see).....a true treasure chest :)

Coming to today's catch, CRABS!! These soft shelled meaty crustaceans rank high on a Mangi's favorite list. Once they come in season my mom buys them by the kilos and stacks them in her cold treasure chest for us to enjoy when we go back home for holidays ( Love you mom xx)

Crabs are either cooked in a rich deliciously Spicy Coconut Crab curry, as a hot Spicy Roast or simmered in a Pepper based dry dish like todays recipe. This dish is one of hubby's favourite and I learned to make it by watching my Mother in law. It is peppery, delicious and truly crabworthy!

To Make Mangalorean Crab Pepper Fry

Recipe Source: Recipe Adapted from my Mother in Law

Serves: 2-3 | Preparation time: 40 minutes | Cooking time: 30 minutes.
Fresh Atlantic crabs or Blue Crabs: 2-3 crabs cut into halves

Curry leaves: 1 sprig

Onion (medium): 2 nos cut into 1/2 inch cubes ( keep each cubed onion seperate)
Tomato: 3 nos

Green chillies: 3 nos slit
Coriander powder: 2 tbsp

Chilly powder: 1 tsp

Tumeric powder: 1/4 tsp

Garam masala: 1 tsp

Curry leaves: 1 sprig

Oil/ ghee: 2 tbsps

For Roasting and Grinding:
Pepper corns: 1 heaped tsp or more for hotter palates
Fennel seeds: 1 tsp

Cumin seeds: 1/2 tsp

Methi seed: 3-4 seeds

Grated coconut: 2 tbsps
Cinnamon: 1 inch piece
Ginger-garlic paste: 1 tsp

Tamarind extract: 2 tsps

Method:
1. Gently dry roast on a pan ( seperately) the peppercorns, fennel seeds, grated coconut, cinnamon, cumin seeds, methi seeds till aromatic and then grind to a fine paste using a very little water.
2. Clean crabs, and cut each crab into quarters and crack the legs gently, so the flavours can enter.
3. Heat oil in a large round bottomed vessel/ kadai. Add curry leaves followed by 1 cubed onion and slit green chillies and fry for 3-5 minutes on a medium flame. When the onions have softened add ginger-garlic paste and fry for 3-4 minutes till it turns golden brown. Then add the chopped tomatoes and salt. Fry for 3-4 minutes then add the coriander, chilli, turmeric and garam masala powders and continue to fry till the tomato gets mashed and the oil starts to separate. Add the remaining cubed onion and fry for a minute. Add the roasted ground paste, tamarind paste and mix well.
4. Add the cleaned crab toss well with the spicy onion tomato mixture. Add 2-3 tbps water only if required. Cover and cook on a medium flame for 5-7 minutes or till done.

Taste for salt and sourness.

Serve hot alongside some white rice and Daaliso saar or Mangalore lentil soup or enjoy on its own alongside a large Kingfisher !

If you liked this or any of my posts, I would love to hear from you. Leave me a line at the end of this post or message me on Facebook or carol@ticklemysenses.com. Look forward to hearing from you.

Have a great week friends,

Yours in Taste,

Carol Pereira

Fusili pasta with Red peppers and Boiled Eggs.

2013-06-05T02:28:00.000-07:00

Its been ages since we had Toddler/ Kid friendly recipes posted here. Apologies!
I have been too busy making and posting all my favourite grown up recipes, that there is a backlog of kid friendly recipes sitting in my Draft folders waiting to to see the light of day :)

Well this pasta recipe is one I created on a busy afternoon, when all that I had left in the fridge was a red pepper and eggs (fortunately both are well palated by Baby A). I simply sauteed the pepper with some chopped onions, tomatoes and herbs, added the pasta, enough water and cooked till done. Then added the finishing touches of cheese, a dash of cream and chopped boiled eggs.

Must say the pasta turned out really soft, creamy and wonderfully flavoured by the red peppers and herbs. It was very well received by Baby A's friends who came to visit too.

Cooking the pasta in the cooker is not only quicker, allows the pasta to be cooked softer and most importantly saves up on washing up ;).

Would love to know what your lil ones have to say about it :)

To make Fusili pasta with Red peppers and Boiled eggs.
Serves 3-4 children | Preparation time: 10 minutes | Cooking time: 30 minutes.
Ingredients:
Fusilli pasta: 2 cups
Pepper (red or orange, not green): 1 whole, remove core and seeds and dice into small pieces
Garlic: 3- 4 flakes finely chopped
Oil: 1 tbsp
Tomatoes: 1 whole chopped finely
Onion: 1/2 chopped finely
Fresh or Dried thyme: 1/4 tsp chopped
Fresh or dry Basil: 5 leaves finely chopped
Salt to taste
Water to cover by 1 inch over pasta
Single cream: 2 tbsps (optional)
Grated Cheddar Cheese: 2 tbsp
Boiled eggs: 2 hardboiled and finely diced.

Method:
1. Place eggs in a large pot of room temp water, enough to cover the eggs. Add a dash of salt and a tsp of vinegar to the water. Turn heat to high. When water comes to a boil, cook for further 10 minutes. Once the eggs are done. Turn flame off. Carefully drain out hot water and replace with cold water.After 5 minutes peel shells and dice the eggs. Keep aside.

2. While eggs are boiling, take the base of a pressure cooker. Add oil, when hot add the garlic and fry for a couple seconds till lighly softened. Add the diced peppers, chopped tomatoes and onions, add salt, fry well till onions and tomatoes are somewhat soft (around 4-5 minutes) on a medium flame.

3. Add the chopped thyme, chopped basil, stir, add the uncooked pasta and mix well. Add hot water to cover pasta well above 1 inch, mix. Taste for salt, add as required. Close cooker, cook for 1 whistle on high heat. Turn heat to simmer and cook for further 6-7 minutes. Turn off the pressure cooker heat and allow pressure to drop. Once the pressure has dropped, open the cooker add a dash of cream, grated cheddar, the chopped boiled eggs and mix well. You could serve the pasta straightaway. I prefer to allow the pasta to rest a few more minutes to plump up a bit and absorb all the flavours. Close the pressure cooker lid place the weight on and allow the pasta to rest (with no flame) for a further 10 mins, while you go about doing other things. Once 10 mins is up, open the cooker, stir well. Serve warm.

Thats all for now friends. I hope your kids do enjoy. Shall leave you with a few more loved Kids recipes !
Oven baked tomato chicken (12months +)
Orange Chicken (12months +)
Tomato and Herb Scrambled Eggs (12months+)
Simple Baked Chicken pie (12months+)
Creamy Chicken Pie with Peppers (12 months+)

Yours in Taste,

Carol Pereira

Mango Cake with Fresh Mango chunks and Pecan nuts

2013-06-03T01:46:00.000-07:00

Well we all love Mangoes and most often enjoy their golden sweet succulent flesh in the peak of their ripeness, in its virgin form. Peel off their skin from one side then let your teeth sink into their sweet cheeks, peel and eat till you reach their center white core then repeat the other side, while streams of golden nectar flow from the fruit down your palms right upto your elbows and create juicy puddles on the floor below....a truly messy affair....worth every bite :)

Considered the King of all fruits, a delicious gift of the summer sun. Mangoes lend their fruity flavour to any dish it is included in. Be it the thick Indian Mango Lassi's, Kulfi or Amarkhand, the addictive Chinese Mango Pudding or the much savoured Mango Milkshakes.

A fruity richness that's loved world over. Because mangoes are picked before they are fully ripe, choose ones that have a fruity smell at the stem end and ripen them at room temperature until the fruit becomes yielding. My favourite being the Indian Alphonso or Kesari Mangoes followed by the Honey dew from Pakistan.

Todays recipe uses fresh chunks of Mango, folded into a light buttery sponge, speckled with crunchy pecan nuts. A delicious light and airy cake thats bursting with bites of mango :)

To make Mango Cake with Fresh Mango chunks and Pecan nuts
Recipe Source: taste of home.com

Prep: 20 min | Baking time: 30 min

Ingredients:

Sugar: 1/2 cup
Melted butter: 1/3 cup ( original recipe uses Canola oil)
Egg: 1
All-purpose flour: 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons
Baking powder: 3/4 teaspoon
Salt: 1/4 teaspoon
Ground cinnamon: 1/4 teaspoon
Ground nutmeg: 1/8 teaspoon
Mango: 3/4 cup chopped peeled
Chopped pecans: 1/4 cup
Confectioners' sugar and whipped topping, optional

Method:
1. In a small bowl, beat the sugar, oil and egg until well blended.
2. In another bowl, sieve together the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg
3. Gradually beat the sieved flour mixture into sugar mixture and mix well. Fold in mango and pecans.
Transfer the mixture to a greased 6-in. round baking pan. Bake at 375°F for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.
4. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack to cool completely.Garnish with confectioners' sugar and whipped topping if desired.

Enjoy with a hot cup of tea or at the end of a meal with a scoop of Vanilla Icecream.

Have a lovely week friends.

Yours in Taste,

Carol Pereira

Spicy Lamb Mince Curry with Fenugreek leaves using a Pressure Cooker.

2013-05-30T11:02:00.002-07:00

Minced Lamb pressure cooked with Whole Spices and Fenugreek leaves to a juicy soft tenderness. Enjoy with rice, parathas or rolled in chappatis.

To Make Spicy Lamb Mince Curry with Fenugreek leaves using a Pressure Cooker.
Serves: 3-4 | Preparation time: 20 minutes | Cooking time: 30-40 minutes
Ingredients:
Lamb Mince: 250 grams
Tomato: 2 small chopped
Big onion: 1 finely chopped
Green chillies: 3 nos chopped
Coriander leaves: 1/2 cup chopped finely

Fresh Methi leaves: 1 cup leaves seperated from stem, washed and coarsely chopped.
Ginger-Garlic paste: 3 tsps
Cardamom pods: 2 nos
Black Cardamon: 1 no.
Bay leaf: 1
Cinnamon stick: 2 inch piece
Kashmiri red chilli powder: 2- 3 tsps ( adjust according to spice/heat levels)
Coriander powder: 1 tbsp
Turmeric: 1/2 tsp
Cumin seeds: 1/2 tsp
Salt and lemon juice to taste
Oil: 2.5-3 tbsps

Method:
1. Place a cooker on the fire and pour oil into it. After the oil heats up, add cumin seeds, crushed cardamom pods, bay leaf and cinnamon stick and saute for a few seconds. (Do not allow the spices to burn). Add the chopped onions and green chillies and saute well on low flame until the onions turns light brown. Then add ginger- garlic paste and saute for another 3-4 minutes.

2. Add the chopped tomatoes, chopped coriander leaves, add 1 tsp of salt and fry well till the tomatoes soften and the fried mixture turns into softened pulp with oil oozing from the sides. Add the spice powders and fry for another minute or till aromatic.
3. Add the minced meat, mix well to incorporate the meat well into the masala. Break any lumps. Fry on a medium flame for 5-7 minutes.
4. Add enough hot water to just cover the minced meat mixture by an inch.
5. Close the cooker and place the weight. Cook on a high flame for one whistle then lower the flame and cook on a low flame for a further 10-12 minutes. Turn the flame off, let pressure drop by itself. Open the cooker, add the chopped methi leaves cook for a further 5-7 minutes till leaves are cooked. Adjust salt, squeeze over lemon juice. Serve hot.

Notes:
1. The methi or fenugreek leaves can be substituted with chopped spinach leaves.
2. The lamb mince can be substituted with beef, turkey or chicken mince.

Have a great weekend friends!

Yours in Taste,

Carol Pereira

Barbequed King Prawns in a Coriander, Chilli and Lime Marinade.

2013-05-24T16:11:00.000-07:00

Perfect for those Sunny days!! Foodie friends, its time to slather on your suncream, put on your sun hats and fill up your glasses, for the sun is finally peeking through :)

Do dust off those barbies, light up those coals and let them glow!!

Enjoy these juicy and delicious barbequed (can be even oven grilled) king prawns marinaded in a simple sauce thats bursting with fresh flavours of freshly ground coriander leaves, green chillies and garlic brought together by olive oil and zingy lime/ lemons.

For Barbequed or Grilled King Prawns in a Coriander, Chilli and Lime Marinade.
Serves 4 | Preparation time: 20 minutes | Barbequing time: 6 mins
Ingredients:
King prawns: 20
Green chillies: 2
Cloves of garlic: 2 nos.
Small handful of fresh coriander leaves
Olive oil: 50 ml
Lime or lemon juice: 1 large
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 x wooden skewers

Method:
1. Soak the wooden skewers in cold water for 10 minutes, so they don’t burn when you put them on the BBQ later.
2. Finely chop the fresh coriander leaves, green chillies and garlic then place in a mortar along juice of 1 lime or lemon, 1/4 tsp of sea salt and crush with a pestle to get a smooth paste. Then add around 50 ml of olive oil to the ground paste. Mix well. Add pepper to taste. Adjust salt, adjust sourness by adding more lime juice if needed. Keep aside.
3. Prepare the prawns by Butterfly them and deveining them. Place the prepared prawns in above marinade. Leave to marinate for 1 hour.
To learn how to butterfly prawn watch this video.
4. After an hour thread 5 prawns on to each skewer. Place the skewers on the hot bbq for a 2-3 minutes on each side. Serve hot. If grilling in an oven place the prawns on the top shelf of an oven at 250C and allow the prawns to grill for 3- 5 minutes till the shells start to turn pink and the flesh white.

Enjoy the bright and warm weather friends. I am off to spend the weekend with lovely friends. I look forward to all your lovely comments, feedback and foodie pictures!!

Yours in Taste,

Carol Pereira

Afghan Style Mutton Pulao, Qabili Palau, Kabuli Palao, Qubuli Uzbaki.

2013-05-21T06:55:00.000-07:00

Delicate grains of Basmati rice parboiled till tender, then delicately tossed with a rich gravy of browned onions and whole spices, flavoured with the delicious juices of tender lamb or chicken, sealed in a large pot and baked gently and slowly, till the rice is long, fluffy and distinctly seperate, served in a large platter with a lavish garnishing of carrot slithers, plump raisins and crunchy nuts.

A dish that is truly worth its grain, served at all weddings and functions, the National Dish of Afghanistan, also known popularly as 'Qabili Palau' , 'Kabuli Palao', 'Qubuli Uzbaki' or 'Afghan Style Mutton Pulao'

This dish is a reflection of the country's undeniably unique cuisine with contrasting tastes and food that is neither spicy nor bland. A country where rice dishes are considered the "king" of all foods and are the best part of any meal, a place where certainly reputations can be made in the realm of rice preparation.

Do try out this authentic Afghani recipe from Afghanicooking.net. A food blog that is filled with stories of the life, culture and food of Afghanistan.

If you would rather not mix sweet and savoury tastes, you might want to give this dish a miss. For all those who love a hearty flavoursome, delicately spiced rice dish, this one is not to be missed.

To Make Qabili/ Kabuli Palao with Lamb
Original Recipe for Afghan Chicken Pulao: Afghanicooking.net
Recipe Adapted to make Lamb Palao.
Serves 6-8

Ingredients:
For the meat and sauce
Tender Lamb Chops: 750 gms (or lamb shoulder chopped into large pulao size pieces)
Yellow onions, peeled and diced finely: 2 large
Olive oil or vegetable oil, divided: ½ cup
Ginger-garlic paste: 2 tsps ( my adaptation)
Ground cumin: 2 tsp
Ground cardamom: 1 ½ tsp.
Ground black pepper: ½ tsp or add more for hotter palates
Browning sauce such at Kitchen Bouquet (optional)*: ½ tsp
Salt to taste
For Garnish
Carrots, peeled: 3 large
Black raisins: 1 cup
Slivered almonds: ½ cup
Sugar: 1 tbsp.
Water: ¾ cup
For the rice

Basmati rice: 3 cups

Water: 12 cups hot water

Salt to taste

Oil: 2 tbsp.

Method:
1. Wash rice several times remove starch then let it drain in a colander.
2. Wash the cut meat and allow to drain in a colander.
3. Dice the onions finely.
4. To Cook the Meat:
Choose a wide pan (non stick preferably) that is at least a couple inches deep and large enough to fit all the meat. Pour the oil in the pan and saute the onions over high heat, stirring quickly, until golden brown (5-10 minutes). Don't allow the onions to burn.
5. Next add the ginger garlic paste and fry for 2 more minutes, then add the drained meat and cook the meat over medium-high heat for 6 minutes, turning from time to time so all sides turn golden brown. The onion will start to caramelize and begin to turn into a thick sauce.
6. Add enough hot water to just cover the meat, let it come to a boil then cook the meat on a very low flame till the meat is tender and cooked (may take 35- 50 minutes to an hour). Check 2- 3 times in between, so as to not allow meat to burn, add more water if required to cook the meat. Once the meat is cooked, seperate it from the brown gravy and keep aside. If the gravy is runny allow the gravy to slightly thicken open on a medium high flame. The sauce should turn a dark brown. If your sauce does not take on a dark color you can add the Kitchen Bouquet to give it color. Once the gravy has thickened stir in the cumin, cardamom and black pepper powders into the gravy. Continue to cook on low flame for a further 5 minutes. If you would prefer a more spicy gravy add more powdered pepper. Turn off the fire. Keep aside.
7. To Make the Garnish:
While the meat is cooking, cut the carrots into long matchsticks, about 4 inches long and 1/4-inch thick. Make sure that they are not too thin. In a large frying pan add ¾ cups of water and bring to a boil, add the carrots and cook until tender and a deep orange hue, 5 to 7 minutes. Keep a close eye on this to make sure you do not overcook them. Once the carrots are done, drain any leftover liquid out of the pan. Add the remaining 2 tbsp of oil, raisins, almonds and sugar to the carrots. Stir fry quickly over medium-high heat and keep stirring for about 3 minutes. The raisins will look plump; the carrots will take on a nice sweet flavor. Remove from heat and package the carrots mixture into a sealed aluminum foil pouch about the size of a small paperback novel.
8. To make the Rice.
Measure 12 cups of water in a large pot with a fitted lid. Add salt to taste. Bring the water to a boil. Add the rice to the water and boil until it is al dente (80 percent cooked, though still slightly crunchy). This will take just a few minutes depending on the rice you use. You will have to taste it to check for doneness. Do not overcook it. Drain the rice and put the rice back into its cooking pot. To it add the thickened lamb brown gravy. Coat the rice gently with the gravy. Arrange the cooked meat pieces on top of the rice. Try to cover the meat pieces with the rice. Set the closed aluminum package of carrots on top of the rice. This will keep the carrots warm and deepen the flavors without mixing with the rice yet. Make holes through the meat and rice using the back of a wooden spoon .Cover the dish with 2 sheets of aluminium foil and then place a lid which covers the pan completely.
9. Place the dish in the centre of a preheated oven at 500F/250C (temp given is for a conventional oven, adjust temp accordingly for fan-assisted oven) and bake for 15 minutes. Then drop the temperature down to 250F or 120C (temp given is for a conventional oven, adjust temp accordingly for fan-assisted oven) and bake for another 20 minutes.

Arrange the meat pieces on a large platter, cover with the rice. Sprinkle the carrots, raisins, and almonds on the rice. Serve with a simple salad.

Notes:
1. The meat in this dish can be substituted with Chicken.
2. I used lamb chops but you could substitute with any tender cut like the shoulder of lamb.
3. Most recipes I went through online for this dish asks for the carrots to be fried in lots of oil, in this version the carrots are precooked in water first then quickly stir fried in a little oil, making it healthier.

I hope you do try this recipe and enjoy it. Would love to know your thoughts on it.

Yours in Taste,

Carol Pereira.

Mangalore Bunt Style- Simple Fish Curry without Coconut.

2013-05-16T10:43:00.001-07:00

Mangalore falls under the rich and bountiful Konkan region of the South-West coast of India. This coast is lush with paddy fields, coconut-laden palms and sun kissed beaches. You will never tire of eating in Mangalore. Home to several communities ( to mention a few: the 'Mangalore Christians', 'Bunts' and 'Moplah community' ) it is endowed with a rich culinary heritage. Utilising the coconuts and red chillies grown locally, each community has its very own technique of combining spices and ingredients together to create dishes with very distinctive flavours.
The Arabian sea, the rivers and ponds that traverse the land are teeming with varieties of delicious fish. Be it Mackerals, Sardines, Pomfrets, Kingfish, Prawns, Clams or Crabs the Mangalorean house wife has perfected over generations the art of creating delicious curries, fry ups or dry dishes using ground spice pastes or powdered spice blends, all to suit the flavour and texture of the fish at hand .

Todays fish curry is my version of Bunt's Special Fish Curry. The 'Bunts' known for their liberal use of local red chillies and coconut in combination with coriander, cumin, fenugreek, ajwain, pepper create the most delicious spicy, fragrant, flavourful curries.

This fish curry is made using the 'Bunt Chilli powder' also known as the 'Bunt Thal da Podi' or 'Kundapur or Badakai Chilli Powder'. It is a roasted blended spice powder that uses a combination of various whole spices like cumin, coriander seeds, peppercorns, methi/ fenugreek seeds, turmeric and dried garlic. Every Bunt family has its own recipe to make this versatile spice blend. It is used to spice up chicken, red meat, fish, eggs, vegetables. One can create their own spice powder or buy it ready made from any Mangalore store in Mumbai or Bangalore. The homemade version however tends to be more fragnant and flavourful.

Do try out this hot and flavourful curry and let me know your thoughts on it.

To Make Mangalore Bunt Style- Simple Fish Curry without Coconut.
Serves: 4-5 | Preparation time: 30 minutes | Cooking time: 30 minutes.
Ingredients:
Mackerals: 4 medium sized, clean and cut

Oma seeds: pinch

Cumin seeds: 1/2 tsp

Curry leaves: 1 sprig

Green chillies: 3 slit

Onion: 1 medium sized chopped finely

Ginger: 1 inch chopped finely

Garlic : 4 large flakes chopped finely

*Bunt chilli powder/ thal powder: 1 tbsp or according to your taste. See recipe below.

Tomatoes: 2 small chopped finely.

Tamarind extract/Vinegar: to taste or Kokum: 3 nos ( traditionally tamarind is used as souring agent in Bunt cooking) I use kokum or vinegar if I run out of tamarind.

Salt to taste

Method:

1. In a large vessel heat 3 tsps of oil. When hot add the oma seeds and cumin seeds and curry leaves and green chillies and fry on a gentle flame till fragnant. Then add the finely chopped onions, ginger garlic add a pinch of salt and fry on a medium to high flame till onions turn lightly brown.

2. Add the Bunt /thal powder and fry quickly for 2-3 secs before adding the tomatoes. Add salt 1/2 tsp and fry till tomatoes turn soft ( 3-4 minutes). Then add a cup of water, adjust the salt add the tamarind extract/ vinegar or kokum to taste, close the lid and allow the curry to gently bowl for 4-5 minutes. Open the vessel taste salt/ sourness adjust.

3. Add the fish pieces flat in a single layer, turn the vessel in gentle round movements to swirl gravy over fish pieces, close lid and cook for a further 7-8 minutes on a medium high flame till fish is cooked.

Turn off heat, serve hot with boiled rice or white rice.

To Prepare Bunt Chilli Powder or 'Bunt Thal da Podi' , 'Kundapur or Badakai Chilli Powder'
Can be used to prepare 1 kg of chicken or fish curry.
Byadgi or Bedagi chillies: 20 nos
Coriander seeds : 2 tbsp
Cumin seeds: 1 tsp
Peppercorns : 1 tsp
Methi seeds: 1/8 tsp
Haldi Powder : 1/8 tsp

Dried Garlic flakes: 4-5 cloves

Method:
1. Clean & remove the stalks of the chillies.
2. Roast a handful of chillies on a heavy bottomed pan over medium flame. The chillies must turn brown & crispy when you break them with your finger. Remove & follow the same procedure until all the chillies are roasted.
3. Roast rest of the ingredients seperately over slow flame.
4. Cool. Place roasted spices in coffee grinder, add the dried garlic flakes and powder.
5. Sift using a metal sieve.
6. Stores in a airtight box, keep in fridge. Keeps upto one year.

Note: The Bydagi chillies are also called Kaddi chillies are very mild in heat with a deep red colour. If substituting with any other chillies use your discretion and adjust quantity accordingly.

Looking for more Mangalore Fish Curry Recipes? Why not try these too!

Mangalorean Fish Curry with Coconut.

Mangalorean Amshi Tikshi Fish Curry / Hot and Sour Fish Curry -1

Hot and Sour Fish Curry without Coconut, Amshi Tikshi Fish Curry-2
Simple Hot and Sour Fish Curry without Coconut/ Amshi Tikshi Fish Curry-3
Hot and Spicy Sardine Curry without Coconut
Simple Mangalore Style Fish Curry without Coconut

Enjoy!

Yours in Taste,

Carol Pereira

Italian Salvia Fritta or Sage fritters.

2013-05-13T14:09:00.000-07:00

If you love the Japanese 'tempura' or the Indian 'onion bhajji' you will love these delicate Italian fritters made from fresh fragnant Sage leaves. We first tried these fritters in Florence, Italy in a small little fish joint and thoroughly enjoyed them. The crispy and light beer batter delicately covers the fragnant sage leaves, every bite is magical as it dissappears into nothingness within seconds.

A delicious accompaniment for drinks the Italian way!!

To Make Italian Salvia Fritta or Sage fritters.
Serves: 4| Preparation time: 15 minutes | Resting time: 30 minutes | Cooking time: 15 minutes.
Ingredients:
For the Batter:
Sage: fresh and healthy leaves 30-40 leaves
Flour: 100 grams or a little less than a cup
Cold Beer: 125 ml
Salt: to taste
Eggs: 1 egg white
Olive oil: 1 tablespoon.
Oil as required to deep fry

Method:
1. Place the flour into a bowl add the chilled beer slowly little at a time, whisking briskly to create a medium-thick batter.
2. Add the salt, oil and mix to get a homogeneous mixture.
3. Cover the bowl with a cloth and let the batter stand for at least 30 minutes.
4. Wash and dry the sage leaves well.
5. Fill a pan with oil to a depth of about 3/4 of an inch, and place over a medium-high heat. While the oil is heating, in a clean dry bowl whisk an egg white together with a pinch of salt till stiff peaks form, then gently fold the egg white into the batter.
6. When the oil is hot ( check by dropping a bit of batter into the oil, the batter should sizzle immediately and brown quickly or alternatively use a thermometer and check the temp should be around 360F. Dip the sage leaves one by one in the batter and then fry them quickly in hot oil in small batches turning them on both sides. When the sage leaves turn golden brown ( should take between 1-2 mins), remove them from the oil with a slotted spoon and place them to drain on absorbent kitchen paper.
Serve hot.

Note:
The batter can be prepared with chilled carbonated water instead of beer, but the latter (containing yeast) will help to create a lighter crispy batter during frying.

Enjoy,

Yours in taste,

Carol Pereira.

Bachelors Chicken Sukka or Mangalore Style Spicy Chicken with Coconut.

2013-05-10T16:19:00.001-07:00

Chicken Sukka is a popular and much loved dish among Mangaloreans. Every family has their own way of making it. Some families follow the traditional way of making the Chicken Sukka, by grinding down spices in a stone and then cooking the meat in this paste, finishing off with a final garnish of roasted coconut and onions. This dish tends to be richer, full on flavour and delectable, but time consuming.

Mangalorean Chicken Sukka, Chicken in a Dry Spice Paste with Coconut-1

Mangalore Style Spicy Rabbit Sukka/ Sukkha, Rabbit in a Spicy Dry Coconut Gravy-2

For those of us who have a busy lifestyle, for busy moms, kitchen novices or Bachelors, todays Chicken Sukka recipe may come as a blessing :) It is a simplified version to make this dish in a jiffy without breaking a sweat and with minimal fuss. It is prepared using the versatile Mangalore Bafat/ Baffat/ Bafad powder that is used to spice up many a dish. Check out my mom's Bafat powder recipe here.

To make Mangalore Style Bachelors Chicken Sukka
Serves: 4 | Preparation time: 30 minutes| Cooking time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:
Chicken (small pieces): 1 kg

To Marinade:
Baffat powder: 1 tbsp

Lime/ lemon juice: 1

Salt to taste

Slicings:

Green chillies: 2 slit

Curry leaves: 3 sprigs
Coriander leaves: a big handful very finely chopped. Keep aside 2 tbsps of chopped leaves for garnish.
Mangalore Bafat powder: 2 tbsps or according to taste
Onions : 3 large sliced finely
Grated coconut: 2 handfuls
Oil: 2-3 tbsps

Salt as per taste

Method:
1. In a bowl marinade the cut chicken pieces with the Marinade ingredients (lemon juice, salt and Bafat powder). Keep aside for 10 minutes while you prepare the slicings.
2. In a heavy bottomed non stick pan take 2 tbsp oil add the slit green chillies and curry leaves and fry for a minute. Add the marinaded chicken and finely chopped coriander leaves and fry the chicken on a medium heat without adding any water till half cooked. Then add the Bafat powder and mix the chicken well. Cook till done.

3. In a non stick pan fry the sliced onions and grated coconut seperately till light brown and keep aside. Add the fried onion and coconut mixture to the cooked chicken and mix well. Taste for salt and sourness and adjust. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.

Serve along with white or boiled rice, piping hot Mangalore Style saar or lentil soup and enjoy!

I hope you do try and enjoy this simple version. If you did enjoy this post, do drop me a line on my Facebook page or at carol@ticklemysenses.com, would love to hear your comments on it.

Have a lovely weekend

Yours in Taste,

Carol Pereira

Egg free and No-Churn Tender Coconut Ice cream.

2013-05-03T11:31:00.001-07:00

I first came across the concept of 'Tender Coconut Ice cream' on my recent trip home. A post dinner drive to the Naturals Icecream parlour a couple of minutes from home is simply not be missed. A few flavours packed into boxes, we would rush home to indulge our senses and our already bursting bellies to some luscious creamy ice creams..hmmm. Of the many delicious flavours on offer at Naturals 'Pistachios, Roasted Almonds, Custard apple/ Sitaphal, Strawberry'...to name a few.... 'Tender Coconut' is a definite favourite.

Back in the UK I have been been looking forward to warmer weather for a long long time, its been the longest winter ever. The sun has finally made its appearance and Spring has SPRUNG!! if that means anything. The temperatures are higher, days are longer and flowers are finally in bloom :)

This icecream was on top of the to-do list of the many recipes lined up to celebrate summer. Made with simple cupboard ingredients, it is Fuss free| No-churn | Cream free | and Egg free and definitely the creamiest natural Coconut Ice cream ever despite the absence of cream or egg yolks. For the flavour of Coconut I used coconut milk and a can of condensed milk for the sweet creaminess. I had a couple of chewy coconut biscuits in my pantry cupboard and a pack of frozen tender coconut bits lying in my freezer. Incorporated both into my icecream for an absoulutely divine Coconutey icecream. Although the next time I will puree the tender coconut to tinier bits so that I can enjoy the creaminess of the ice cream even more. Do try my version of this icecream and let me know your thoughts on it. You could however perfectly enjoy the flavours of this ice cream minus the coconut biscuit topping.

To Make an Egg Free, No-Churn Tender Coconut Icecream. (Vegan Version can also be made using Vegan Condensed Milk)
Serves: 10-12 | Preparation time: 10 minutes | Freezing time: 3-4 hours
Ingredients:
Nestle Condensed milk: 1 tin (394ml), for a Vegan version use Vegan Condensed Milk (made with Soya milk) or make your own homemade lactose free condensed milk
Coconut milk: 1 tin
Vanilla extract: 2 tsps
Rum/ Vodka: 2 tbsps (optional keeps the ice cream crystal free)
Tender coconut slithers: 3/4 cup. Try to get tender coconut that is neither too tender or too mature, but in between.
Coconut biscuits: 2 nos (optional) for topping.

Method:
1. In a big glass bowl beat together coconut milk and condensed milk to incorporate air and make the mixture light and frothy. ( electric beaters will work great)
2. Add vanilla extract and rum and beat again for a minute. Pour the ice cream into an airtight container and freeze for 45 minutes to an hour till slightly thickened. Take the icecream out from the freezer add the tender coconut pieces and gently mix to fold in the coconut bits. Add a couple of crumbled coconut biscuits to the top, lightly press, close and return the ice cream to the freezer for a further 3-4 hours or until set.

Updated:
I used the regular Condensed milk for this icecream.
1. For a vegan version of this Icecream you can buy Vegan Condensed Milk online here.
Or make your own homemade lactose free condensed milk.
2. More interesting information on health benefits of coconut milk here.

Your in Taste,

Carol Pereira.

'No-Bake', 'Egg-Free' Chocolate Crunch Cake with Marshmallows, Prunes and Short Bread.

2013-04-22T02:41:00.000-07:00

For 'Red Nose Day' (Comic Relief) at Baby A's nursery I made this simple, delicious, chocolatey, 'No bake' 'Egg Free' Chocolate Cake with Marshmallows, Prunes and Shortbread. It was relished by all, very moreish, and to- die-for.

This cake also known as the 'Chocolate Biscuit Cake', 'Chocolate Fridge Cake' or 'Chocolate Crunch Cake' was a bit of an unknown cake right until 'Prince William' (the future King of England) claimed it to be one of his favourite desserts and even had it served to his guests at his Royal's wedding reception at Buckingham Palace in April 2011.

The Royal family has its very own recipe for this cake which uses McVities Rich Tea Biscuits as one of the ingredients, the rest of the recipe is a guarded secret :(

Since then many have tried to come out with their own recipes for this cake. The recipe I created below is a variation of a very good 'Good Housekeeping recipe' It uses mini- marshmallows, chopped succulent prunes, melt-in-the mouth chocolate and short bread (I used rich tea the second time for a party with equally yummy results, the shortbread however makes the cake more buttery with a richer flavour)

You could substitute the marshmallows and prunes with dried fruit and nuts of your choice. The Rich Tea Biscuits can be substituted with Short Bread or Marie Biscuits.

I simply broke the biscuits into 1/4 inch pieces, mixed them up with chopped prunes and mini marshmallows, then incorporated these treats into melted chocolate, poured into a tin and let it sit for a few hours. Then chopped them into bars and stored in the fridge.

To make No Bake Chocolate Crunch Cake with Marshmallows, Prunes and Short Bread/ Rich Tea Biscuits.
Makes an 8 inch square tin around 30 small squares. Recipe easily doubles.
INGREDIENTS
Chocolate: 300g/ 10 oz ( minimum of 53% Cocoa solids) 5oz plain chocolate and 5 oz milk chocolate
Unsalted butter: 100g (3½oz)
Golden syrup 3 tbsps
Mini Marshmallows: 45g (1.5 oz)
Ready-to-eat prunes, chopped: 120g (4oz)
Rich tea biscuits/ Short bread biscuits, roughly crushed: 200g (7oz)
Mini chocolate Easter eggs, to decorate

METHOD
1. Line a 8 inch square tin with two layers of clingfilm, leaving excess hanging over the sides (see picture below). Break up the biscuits into rough 1/4 inch pieces, chop large prunes into 3 pieces each or halves if smaller. Put into a bowl with the mini marshmallows. If you dont hav mini marshmallows chop up your marshmallows into 2 pieces.

2. Put the chopped chocolates and butter into a large, microwave-safe bowl and heat for 30sec bursts until melted and smooth. Stir in the golden syrup.

3. Add the Marshmallows, Prunes and Short Bread Biscuits/ Rich Tea Biscuits to the chocolate mixture and carefully mix.

4. Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin, scatter over the mini eggs and freeze for 2hr or chill in the fridge until set (about 4-5 hrs).

Remove from the fridge 20min before cutting. Cut into small squares. Serve.

Store leftovers if any, in the fridge for upto a week in an airtight container.

Have a lovely week,

Yours in Taste,

Carol Pereira.

Mangalore Style- Spicy Beaten Rice/ Theek Pou.

2013-04-17T12:06:00.002-07:00

To go along with the Steamed Nendra bananas I posted early this week I made this very simple and quick Pou/ poha/ beaten rice.

The story behind this recipe:
When Baby A was 3 months old we flew to India for his Grandparents, Uncles Aunties and Cousins to meet him. At the time my mom engaged for me a 'Balnti Posteli' ( 'Balnti' in Konkani means 'new mom', 'Posteli' means to 'look after/care for') or a ' lady to look after the new Baby and Mom'. It is tradition in most Mangalore Catholic homes to employ these experienced women for the first 40 days after birth, to help a mom make the transition smoothly. She stays in the family home cooks healing and nourishing dishes for the new mother and cares for the newborn with daily oil massages, bathing, burping, nappy changes and nap times. Finding a good 'Balnti Posteli' is taken very seriously and the search for one begins 3 months after conception. As Baby A was born in the UK, I got to meet her only when baby A was 3 months old. Well this was one of the dishes she used to make for breakfast. I enjoyed it so much, that I learned to make it from her.

This preparation is delicately spiced, lightly sweetened, and has a subtle crunch of pou and fresh coconut. The seasoning adds a lovely lingering flavour (of curry leaves) to the Poh. This simple dish takes 5 minutes to make and is so addictive, you will find it hard to stop eating :)

Serve alongside Steamed Nendra bananas or drown the poh in milky tea or coffee and savour it !

Mangalore Style- Spicy Beaten Rice/ Theek Pou
Serves: 2 | Preparation time: 3 minutes | Seasoning time: 2 minutes
Recipe Source: Baby A's 'Balnti Posteli'
Ingredients:
Thin variety of beaten rice/ Bareek pou: 2 cups
Kashmiri Red chilli powder: 1/2 tsp or acc to your spice level
Coriander powder: 1/4 tsp
Cumin powder: 1/4 tsp
Sugar: 4 tsps
Salt : around 1/2 tsp
Freshly grated coconut: small handful
Seasoning: (Optional)
Oil: 1 tsp
Mustard seeds: 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves: 1 sprig

Method:
1. In a bowl take thin beaten rice or bareek pou. Sprinkle over the three spice powders ie. chilli, corinader and cumin.
2. In a small bowl take around 1/2 tsp of salt. Dissolve it in 3 tbsps of water.
3. Add the salted water a little at a time to the beaten rice and use your fingers to lightly massage the spice and water into the beaten rice. Continue adding salted water till the beaten rice starts to very slightly soften. Taste the pou for salt. Add more salted water if required.
4. Sprinkle over freshly grated coconut and mix well using fingers.
5. Lastly sprinkle over sugar and gently mix . Serve as it is or do the seasoning.

For Seasoning (optional)
Take oil in a pan, when hot splutter mustard seeds, add curry leaves fry till crispy, pour over pou and mix well.

If you enjoyed this post or any other, share it with your friends, please do drop me a line in the comments box at the end of this post, on my Facebook page or at carol@ticklemysenses.com, would love to hear from you.

Yours in Taste,

Carol Pereira

Steamed Bananas, Steamed Nendran Bananas.

2013-04-15T02:35:00.001-07:00

I have been craving Steamed Banana for a while, not just any Steamed Banana but one made using the ripened 'Nendra/ Nendran Banana', 'Nendra Baale' in Kannada, 'Nandarkai' in Mangalore Konkani, 'Moirachi Keli or Maidyachi Keli' in Goan Konkani and 'Nendran Pazham' in Kerala. Unfortunately I had to wait for several weeks before I managed to spot it at our local Asian stores.

Nendran Bananas are a variety of banana, much bigger in size than the regular Cavendish, flesh is firmer, silkier and sweeter. When raw they are used to make Savoury Banana Crisps or Chips or 'Pathekaan' in Konkani. On ripening their skin gets darker spots or patches, their flesh turns sweeter lends itself wonderfully to cooking, unlike most bananas that leech out liquid on cooking.

Like my mom would, I filled a 'thondoor' or Mangalorean steamer with water. Let the water come to a boil, placed the bananas on a metal sieve at the centre of the steamer and let it cook for around 20 mins or till well done. While still warm I served it alongside my favourite 'Mangalorean theek poh/ Spicy beaten rice'. It was heavenly, delicious, moist, sweet, silken and full of flavour.

Baby A enjoyed slices of the uncooked banana caramelised on a shallow frying pan with salted butter and a good sprinkling of sugar and powdered cinnamon.

However you choose to eat bananas, do have them, for they are packed with vital nutrients known for preventing tummy ulcers, its potassium content may help prevent the formation of kidney stones and protect against high blood pressure and stroke, the vitamins in bananas (particularly vitamins A, C, and E) can help protect your eyesight. The tryptophan in bananas can help increase levels of serotonin in the brain, giving you a mood lift. The vitamin B6 in bananas can help regulate blood glucose levels. Bananas support health and beauty, give you energy, and they taste great.

So make them a part of your diet.

To Make Nendra Steamed Bananas
Serves: 2-3 | Steaming time: 20-25 mins
Ingredients:
Ripe Nendra Bananas: 2

Method:
1. Place the whole unpeeled Nendra Banana in a rack in hot steamer or thondoor. Steam for 2o- 25 minutes or till done.
Serve while still warm on its own or with Spicy Beaten rice for breakfast or as a tea time snack.

To Make Nendra Caramelised Cinnamon Banana Slices for kids
Serves: 1 |Cooking time: 5 minutes

Ingredients:

Ripe Nendra Bananas: 1/2

Salted Butter to shallow fry: 1 tsp or as required

Sugar: 1-2 tsps

Ground cinnamon to taste

Method:

1. Peel the uncooked banana. Slice into 1/2 inch circles.

2. Heat a wide-bottomed frying pan, melt the butter, and when it starts to bubble add the banana slices. Sprinkle with sugar and fry for a minute before turning.
3. Continue frying on a medium heat until the sugar has started to caramelise and the bananas are golden brown. Sprinkle over a pinch of cinnamon. Take off heat.
Serve just as it is as a tea time snack or with yoghurt or a scoop of vanilla iccream for dessert.
If you love bananas you might want to try these recipes too:
1. Baby's gone Bananas- Banana and Cashewnut Cake
2. Saying 'I Love you Mother' with "Baked Banana Donuts with Dark Chocolate Chips"
3. Australian Fresh Pineapple and Banana Cake with a Cheese and Buttercream Frosting and Happy Birthday Hubby.
4. Avocado, Banana and Apricot Cake/ Muffins with a Chocolate Avocado frosting.
5. Mangalore Style Spicy Plantains with Dried Shrimp, Kele Sukke with Galmbi.
6. Heera's Ghariyo- Sweet Banana Fritters.
7. Hearty Mangalore Buns

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Till my next post.

Yours in Taste,

Carol Pereira